Background/aims: To investigate the effects of edaravone, a potent free radical scavenger, on dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC)-induced chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic fibrosis. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 16 each): control, DBTC, DBTC + edaravone, and control edaravone. Edaravone or normal saline at a daily dose of 6 mg/kg body weight was given intraperitoneally from day 5 to day 28 after DBTC administration. On days 14 and 28, the rats were evaluated morphologically and biochemically. The expression of cytokines in pancreas TGF-beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha was detected using RT-PCR. The activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B in pancreatic tissue was evaluated by immunostaining and western-blot for NF-kappa B p65. alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) expression was also evaluated by immunostaining and western-blot to investigate the activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). Result: Edaravone treatment improved the rats' body weight (p < 0.01) and feed intake levels (p < 0.05), improved the histological scores and alleviated the fibrosis of pancreas samples (p < 0.05), as well as markedly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in pancreatic tissue (p < 0.01 for both). The expression of cytokines TGF-beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha in pancreas of DBTC group was also down-regulated by edaravone after treatment. Edaravone inhibited the activation of NF-kappa B and PSCs and exhibited protective effects on pancreatic tissue damage in CP. Conclusions: This antioxidant may be a promising therapeutic intervention for human CP. Copyright (C) 2013, IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier India, a division of Reed Elsevier India Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.